Sponsored Content




Intermarkets' Privacy Policy
Support


Donate to Ace of Spades HQ!



Recent Entries
Absent Friends
Bandersnatch 2024
GnuBreed 2024
Captain Hate 2023
moon_over_vermont 2023
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022
Dave In Texas 2022
Jesse in D.C. 2022
OregonMuse 2022
redc1c4 2021
Tami 2021
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published. Contact OrangeEnt for info:
maildrop62 at proton dot me
Cutting The Cord And Email Security
Moron Meet-Ups

NoVaMoMe 2024: 06/08/2024
Arlington, VA
Details to follow


Texas MoMe 2024: 10/18/2024-10/19/2024 Corsicana,TX
Contact Ben Had for info





















« DOJ Opens Probe Into New Black Panther Case | Main | Netanyahu jets to Kremlin- Iran in the crosshairs »
September 10, 2009

Obama, The Morning After

During the liveblog last night I said that the speech will cost Obama 5% of his support. I was probably caught up in the moment. In the long run I think it will hurt him by at least that much but in the short run, well I probably owe Gabe some drinks (be sure to read his take down of the speech below if you haven't already).

Why do I think it will hurt him?

He’s trying to please a lot of different people with contradictory messages. I think that will burn him in the medium to long run.

Obama and the left have a really big problem…despite their dire rhetoric most people are happy with the health care and insurance they have. A lot of what they are selling is fear mongering and lies.

Obama once wrote of himself "I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views." Even at this late date he is still unwilling to say “this is what I want in a bill”. He’s just whipping up emotion within the established camps but not moving the needle in either direction.

That will get you far in a campaign (all the way to the White House in fact), however actually being President means choosing. At some point Obama will have to and he’s going to anger a lot of people in the process.

One of the biggest applause lines last night was this.

Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable. The insurance reforms that I’ve already mentioned would do just that. But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange.

The left is likely to hear that as a call to stick it out with the government option. Yes, he tempered it later but after days of hearing the government option was dead, the left is feeling reenergized on their core issue.

Tuesday Steve Hildebrand was down on Obama but after the speech he was back to singing the Hope and Change Chorus.

"I think tonight was a game changer for the health reform debate," Hildebrand told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. "He explained in very clear terms what he stands for, what he believes in..."

But Hildebrand's reaction to Obama's address Wednesday night perhaps suggests the president has won over some progressives, who have increasingly signaled their dissatisfaction with the administration.

So instead of preparing the left for compromise (either abandoning the government option or settling for a trigger), he’s got them riled up again.
Problem is, he can’t deliver a government option.

What did Obama’s speech get him on the other side? Nothing. Well, less than nothing really.


Olympia Snowe is bothered that the government option is still on the table.

Even Lindsay Graham hit Obama for the tone of the speech.

I was incredibly disappointed in the tone of his speech. At times I found his tone to be overly combative and believe he behaved in a manner beneath the dignity of the office. I fear his speech tonight has made it more difficult -- not less -- to find common ground.

He appeared to be angry at his critics and disappointed the American people were not buying the proposals he has been selling. The president’s confrontational demeanor increased the emotional and political divide. I hope the President will learn that true bipartisanship begins with mutual respect. Criticism of a public official is to be expected and not all criticism is demagoguery.

Now Lindsay isn’t a big player on this issue but you know he’s always game for compromise. If you’re a Democrat and you can’t get Lindsay Graham to say something nice about you, well you may be beyond all hope.

The real key will be the Democrats in the House and how the speech plays with them. Considering how it obviously rallied the left, I can’t imagine any Democrat who was opposed or leaning against the plan from the right is suddenly going to be swayed.

He rallied his base with this speech for a fight they probably can’t win, while at the same time giving their opponents the back of his hand. Maybe he can turn that into a victory. Maybe I’ll get to hook up with Judy Greer. I just wouldn’t bet on either. So it’s not time to book ABBA but researching their availability might be a wise precaution.

digg this
posted by DrewM. at 11:32 AM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
weft cut-loop[/i][/b] [/s]: "[]i[Some statins cause both short term and long te ..."

torabora : "Pro-choice Democrat marylin lands gives anti-abort ..."

Ciampino - Was I going upstair when called?s or downstairs: "426 Posted by: Braenyard at March 28, 2024 01:09 ..."

Braenyard: "I'm overtime, y'all have a good evening. ..."

RickZ: "[i]Didn't think Kennedy would pick someone that nu ..."

mikeski: "[i]Pete Buttgiggity to sport a smug look on his fa ..."

mikeski: "[i]The original Siamese Twins, the Bunker twins, w ..."

Ciampino - Tabasco to the fartclam: "515 And some national fake day, a Tranny Day of W ..."

Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come: "[i]509 Ramadan lights will be on display in centra ..."

raimondo: " Pro-choice Democrat marylin lands gives anti-abor ..."

Braenyard: "Didn't think Kennedy would pick someone that nuts. ..."

Ciampino - Another communist?: "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. VP pick Nicole Shanahan help ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64